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1614 HW Y 32, THR EE LAK ES, W I 54562715-546-2000 | w w w.t lefc.org

Senior PastorOpportunity Profile

Hello, and welcome!Hello, and welcome!Hello,

We, the congregation of Three Lakes Evangelical Free Church, are searching for our next senior pastor. We invite you to sit down, read more about us and prayerfully consider TLEFC. Three Lakes is a wonderful place to live, worship and serve, and we hope that, through these materials, you’ll begin to understand our community and its unique ministry needs.

TLEFC has a mission to CONNECT people to God, GROW them to be like Christ and equip them to SERVE others.

We are searching for a leader who is authentic (open about personal struggles of living for Jesus), relational (reaches out to engage people relationally), and a gifted preacher who focuses on living out the Christian faith in a hostile culture.

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OUR MISSION FIELDLocated in the heart of the Wisconsin Northwoods, Three Lakes is surrounded by lakes, national forests and plenty of wildlife. About 2,100 residents call Three Lakes their year-round home, but in the summer, our community swells to more than 10,000 as vacationers and summer residents �ood the area. We are proudly known for our 28 lakes, which make up the largest inland chain of freshwater lakes in the world. In the summer, you’ll hear boat motors humming across the water as �shermen, skiers, recreational boaters and more enjoy our vast natural resources. Three Lakes also sits on the western edge of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which o�ers scenic bicycling, hiking, camping and hunting opportunities.

In the winter, it’s not uncommon to �nd yourself next to snowmobiles at the gas station. Snowmobiling brings in most of our winter tourism, but we also have plenty of options for silent sports, especially cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the 10-mile long Three Eagle Trail. Three Lakes is indeed an outdoor activities paradise.

Downtown Three Lakes is lined with gift shops, restaurants and other small businesses. Although tourism drives the economy of Three Lakes, we also support some light manufacturing, a winery, an arts center and many retail businesses. Our awarding-winning school district enrolls about 500 students and o�ers personalized education along with plenty of athletic and extracurricular opportunities.

our community swells to more than 10,000 as vacationers and summer residents �ood the area. We are proudly known for our 28 lakes, which make up the largest inland chain of freshwater lakes in the world. In the summer, you’ll hear boat motors humming across the water as �shermen, skiers, recreational boaters and more enjoy our vast natural resources. Three Lakes also sits on the western edge of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which o�ers scenic bicycling, hiking, camping and hunting

In the winter, it’s not uncommon to �nd yourself next to snowmobiles at the gas station. Snowmobiling brings in most of our winter tourism, but we also have plenty of options for silent sports, especially cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the 10-mile long Three Eagle Trail. Three Lakes is indeed an outdoor activities paradise.

Downtown Three Lakes is lined with gift shops, restaurants and other small businesses. Although tourism drives the economy of Three Lakes,

�ree Lakes

WHO WE AREIn the 1950s, a group of individuals, including Edith Edman, the wife of the president of Wheaton College, began praying earnestly for a church for Three Lakes. Those prayers were answered in 1984, when TLEFC o�cially began meeting as a church plant from Conover Evangelical Free Church, and the present building was completed in 1986. TLEFC is now one of four Evangelical Free churches located in Vilas and Oneida counties. We have always maintained a relationship with HoneyRock, Wheaton College’s Outdoor Center for Leadership Development. We have had four senior pastors and �ve youth pastors, and we are currently led by Interim Pastor Scott Roen and Youth and Family Pastor Ian Stewart.

Our church is sta�ed by a full-time senior pastor, full-time youth and family pastor, part-time secretary and part-time custodian. Our worship team is made up of volunteers who are overseen by a worship committee. Our annual budget is about $250,000.

150average attendance

62%attendees over age 50

50%attendees who have come for at least 10 years

85%attendees with at least some post-secondary education

80%married

30%children at home

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WHO WE ARE Mission We exist to connect people with God through Jesus Christ, grow to be like Christ, and serve others.

Our VisionWe ful�ll our mission by being intentional (thoughtful about what we do and don’t do), missional (focused on the community, not ourselves), simple (so people can live balanced lives) and irresistible (because of our love for people).

Current Strengths

Our congregation consists of many seasoned, spiritually mature believers, and we see many healthy intergenerational relationships within the church. Our members serve well and participate heavily in community groups. We enjoy a strong relationship with Three Lakes School District, where we reach more than 25 percent of the elementary students through our Fun Club program. We are also �nancially sound with no mortgage and a solid track record of meeting our budget goals year over year.

Current Opportunities for Growth n Attract more young people to create a healthy

young adult communityn Develop strategies to win and disciple those

who come into our sphere of in�uencen Embrace and nurture our unique seasonal

populations n E�ectively plug-in regular attendees to ministry

opportunities

Preferred Futuren Be known throughout Three Lakes and the

surrounding communities for an authentic, relevant, Bible-centered pulpit ministry with vibrant worship

n Be a growing church, both numerically and in maturity and impact, with the associated building(s) and sta� necessary to support such a ministry

n Create a culture that emphasizes relational community, outreach and service.

n Enhance advancement of the Gospel in the Northwoods through relational and servant evangelism

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SENIOR PASTOR OPPORTUNITY PROFILEWe are searching for a leader who models and inspires authentic living and communicates the truths of the Bible in ways that are relevant and engaging to all generations.

Qualificationsn A man with a heart for God’s Word

and a passion to make Scripture relevant to life issues faced by all generations.

n He must have a love for people that communicates care and draws them into the body of Christ.

n He must be able to lead the congregation by casting a compelling vision and empowering everyone to �nd a ministry role.

n He must have a relational presence in Three Lakes and the surrounding communities, promoting TLEFC as a place for refuge, belonging and growth.

Essential Characteristics n Authentic. Open about personal struggles in living for Jesus, honest

about di�cult issues of faith and culture, and clearly practices what he preaches.

n Relational. Friendly and likable, reaches out and seeks to engage people relationally.

n Gifted preaching style that focuses on relevant topics, using a mix of teaching and preaching in each sermon.

n Integrity.n Honest, humble, accountable and above reproach.

AccountabilityOverall accountability is to the TLEFC congregation. Day-to-day accountability is delegated to the church board. A personal accountability relationship is expected.

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SENIOR PASTOR OPPORTUNITY PROFILE Overview of Duties and Responsibilities

n Leadership and vision-casting in response to changing timesn Preaching and teachingn Leadership development and empowerment for ministry and servicen Counselingn Administrative oversight of sta�, program, spending and church

health

Search ProcessA pastoral search team is actively engaged in the process, using electronic matching tools and networking to �nd potential candidates. The search team will review applicants, narrow the �eld by criteria based on congregational input, and make recommendations to the church board. The search team may conduct interviews with candidates; they will evaluate demonstration video and/or audio recordings and will conduct reference checks. The church board will decide which candidate(s) will be invited for a candidating weekend and will only consider one candidate at a time. At the conclusion of a candidating weekend, the church board will make a recommendation to the congregation about extending a call. If approved by the congregation, the board will extend an o�er to the candidate.

Additional Documentsn Senior Pastor Ministry Descriptionn Statement of Faithn TLEFC Guiding Principles

To Apply:n Submit a cover letter and resume to searchcommittee@tlefc.org.

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Return instructions will be given via email, and the screening process will begin immediately.